[actus me invito factus non est meus actus]

The light of the portal bursting into existence in the living room of the Big House was enough to shake Dale out of her reverie. After hours of monitoring checkpoints with the quest group, bouncing replies off Mark's inevitable jokes, and polishing her bronze knife, she was beginning to get a little bored. But had she known about the chaos about to ensue, she would have taken the monotony.

Another burst of light came from the portal, and Dale swiveled around in her chair just in time to see Reese, Tessa, and Kaya stumble out of the cosmic energy. Kaya, her dark eyes haunted, waved a hand behind her and the portal zipped shut. Tessa and Reese, wearing matching expressions of stress, staggered to the couch, and flopped down.

"What'd you do, get chased out of the Underworld?" Mark asked, his eyebrows drawn together in wonder. "You guys look terrible."

"Thanks," Reese deadpanned. He ran a hand over his face, and when he met Dale's gaze across the room, his blue eyes were dark. "We have some bad news."

Dale and Mark looked at each other, then returned their focus to the trio assembled in the room. "What kind of bad news?" Mark asked.

Tessa shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Vinny is the one who freed Matthew."

Dale's golden eyes nearly bulged out of her head. A pang of adrenaline ran through her, and she recognized that somewhere, somehow, Vinny was watching them and laughing. "That can't be possible. How do you know?"

When Tessa opened her eyes, Dale saw nothing but the truth. "Alex told us."

And despite Dale's haze of confusion, Reese and Tessa, in tandem, explained how their trip into the Underworld had played out. They told them about Liam, and how he'd arranged for them to talk to Alex, the son of Mars who had sacrificed himself for his camp. They explained what Alex knew to be true, and bit by bit, piece by piece, Dale felt the armor she'd long since worn begin to form over her conscience.

"So, in other words," Mark said after a pause. "We're royally screwed."

Tessa dragged a hand through her hair. "The prophecy's coming true again. Matthew and Vinny represent one line of it. One terrible, foreboding part of it."

Dale bit her lip in thought. She knew the prophecy like the back of her hand, but Tessa had been the one to witness its awakening. Nearly four years ago, Vinny had kidnapped Tessa on a mission through time, and witnessed the Oracle of Delphi herself as she spewed the prophecy. It had haunted Tessa ever since, and trying to decipher it had nearly driven her mad.

"What do we do now?" Dale asked, standing from where she sat. She tried to think despite the dull roar in her head, shutting out the madness. "Vinny's evaded capture repeatedly, we can't exactly set a trap for him!"

"No, but this does confirm what we've been thinking," Kaya said, piping up from where she leant against the living room wall. "Matthew is in league with Vinny, who is most likely in league with the Masks. The asylum in Pennsylvania was the last place where he was seen, and the photo that Jesse and Marcellus recovered is identical to one of those in that asylum. The pieces fit together."

"And yet we can't make out a clear picture," Reese exhaled. He got to his feet, his bow morphing into his wallet in a flash of light. "I need to call Imogen, make sure she's okay."

Mark snorted. "Something tells me that if Vinny tries to go after Imogen, she'll be fine."

Reese, phone in hand, stopped in his tracks. "He tried to go after Tessa, and she wasn't. I just need to be sure." And he held the phone up to his ear and left the room.

Tessa, her leg bouncing up and down absentmindedly, nodded. "Reese is right. Every demigod needs to be called into camp, no questions asked." She winced as she tried to get up, and when Dale took a step towards her to help, Tessa forced her back with a steely look. "I'm fine."

"Clearly not!" Dale exclaimed. "Tessa, Matthew tried to carve you open like a Christmas ham. You. Of all people. And he nearly succeeded."

"I said, I'm fine!" Tessa snapped, then sighed. "Just...I need some time to think."

"I think you'll need a rain check on that, Tessa," Kaya said from where she'd crossed to the window. She drew the curtains back to unveil camp in more action than it should have been. Campers were arming themselves, sprinting down the trails towards the outskirts of the valley. "We've got a problem."

~~

As a demigod in her element, Dale knew three things to be true: one, powers did you nothing if you couldn't control them; two, the gods were always watching; and three, supernatural things never happen for no reason, especially in times of duress. This was one of those times.

She, Tessa, Kaya, and Mark sprinted out of the Big House into the pulpit of demigods racing to and fro. People were shouting commands, and judging from the direction of the streams, something was happening near camp's barrier.

"The hell is happening?" Tessa asked, drawing Tempest from her pocket. In a flash of bronze light, the pin morphed into its true sword state.

Dale, fumbling for an explanation, spotted Nina darting through the crowd, Bianca in tow. "Nina!" She called, and the daughter of Venus hurried over to her. "What's going on?"

"There's activity near the western border," Nina reported. "Something about some of those masks being spotted."

Dale felt her heart sink to her stomach, and by the sounds of weapons being unsheathed behind her, she had an inkling that the feeling was mutual. She nodded to Nina, who darted back to Bianca and towards the fight, then whirled around to her friends.

"What's the plan?" Dale asked, heart racing.

"I'll go strengthen the barrier, get some of the kids to stop fighting." Kaya decided. "If the Masks really are here, who knows what they'll do?"

Dale nodded. "Tessa, go with her."

Tessa's eyes widened in shock. "What?"

"You heard me," Dale said. "You're injured and targeted by the Masks. If they're here for you for some reason, then I'm not about to hand you over to them. Go get the campers into order."

Dale felt bad about taking a fight away from Tessa, but she always knew her best friend like she knew her own mind. Tessa would stop at nothing to prove the conceptions about her wrong, and to prove points to herself. But Tessa was also in a fragile state of mind, and Dale was not about to shatter the semblance of control that the daughter of Poseidon had mustered these past few days. Keeping Tessa off the front lines for now was the best way to ensure her safety in all sense of the word.

"Ready to go get some answers?" Mark asked, snatching a throwing knife from his belt.

Dale tightened her grip around her knife. "Let's go."

The duo sprinted down the trails, weaving through the crowds of campers milling about, unsure of what to do. Eventually, they reached the barrier of camp, shimmering from Kaya's strengths to keep it intact.

"Think we should risk it?" Mark asked.

"If you're not, I will," A voice Dale deciphered as Chase's came from nearby. The son of Nike appeared ready for a fight, and smirked at Dale and Mark as they approached.

"Chase, I forbid you and any other half-blood from stepping beyond this barrier." Dale asserted, venom lacing her voice. "Now, since you're so desperate for an important position, go round up the other campers and get them away from the weak points in the valley. Understood?"

Chase's eyes widened; he'd never seen Dale that assertive before, no doubt. But the son of Nike nodded frantically and darted off, leaving Dale with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Come on," Dale grumbled. "And don't make me regret abandoning our backup."

She and Mark crossed through the barrier, into the silence of the evening. The forest seemed to be shrouded in a spell of silence, something that was unusual on its own. But mustering all the courage she could, Dale trudged on through the underbrush.

"Do we have a plan?" Mark whispered. "What happens if we encounter a mask?"

Dale never got a chance to answer, because on the horizon, she spotted a flutter of movement. The sound of footsteps broke through the silence, and Dale was off.

She sprinted through the trees despite Mark's protesting, leaping over logs and ducking under low-hanging branches. She'd put an end to this once and for all. No more missing demigods, no more chaos.

Dale slowed to a stop, taking a deep breath. She shut her eyes and channeled her power, allowing the energy of the nature around her to fill her veins. These intruders were in her territory, impinging on her home, and she would literally leave no stone unturned. Like a wave emanating from her soul, Dale could feel each and every plant, rock, branch, animal within a nearby radius. Each tree was a feeler, each boulder was a punch. She was the daughter of the earth and these monsters would feel her wrath.

Dale, searching through the forest with her power, sensed a flare of movement nearby. Praying it wasn't Mark, Dale took another break and gathering all her power, she sent a shockwave of energy through the earth.

And the silence fell once more. Dale opened her eyes as a very human cry echoed through the trees. Smiling to herself, Dale hurried on her way, following the sound.

But what she found, sprawled atop the mossy forest floor, was not a Mask. A boy with blond hair and dapper clothing, groaning and moaning and clutching his side, was most definitely not a Mask. But Dale wasn't convinced.

"Who are you?" Dale asked, pointing her knife at him.

The boy flopped over onto his back, blue eyes wide at the blade in her hand. He put his own up in surrender. "Please, I don't mean any harm. I-I-I don't know what I'm doing here. Please, you have to believe me. I was taken against my will, I don't know why I'm here!"

Well, that was a new one. Dale chewed on her lip, unsure of what to do. For all she knew, this was an elaborate stunt by Vinny and the Masks to gain access to camp. She lowered her knife arm, but didn't loosen her grip.

"What's your name?" Dale asked the boy, suspicion lacing her voice.

"My name is Luke," The boy managed. "Please, I need your help." He tried to stand, but Dale flexed her free hand. The moss at his feet swirled up, freezing him in place.

"Please," Luke begged. "You're not safe out here. It's only a matter of time before he finds me and takes over, and when he does, you'll be dead. Please! I was just trying to help." He looked up at the darkening sky.

"Who?" Dale asked, feeling like she'd been hit between the eyes. "Who's coming?"

Luke shook his head. "It's not time yet. I can't tell you. I was just trying to warn them, warn them all!" He met Dale's eyes, blue staring into deep gold. "You can't tell them I was here. If they find out, it'll meant the end."

Dale had never been more confused in her life. If the Masks were sighted here, who was this boy? Why was he here? "I..."

"Promise me!" Luke beseeched.

And maybe it wasn't her own free-will, but that of the gods, but Dale found herself nodding. "I promise."

Luke released a grateful sigh. "Thank you."

Dale blinked, but the sound of footsteps behind her broke her out of her reverie. She whirled around to see Mark sprinting right at her.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Mark exclaimed. "I thought you were hurt, or worse!"

"Why would I be hurt?" Dale shook her head. "That doesn't matter, but there's someone we need to help!"

Mark furrowed his brow. "That's what you've been doing all this time? Dale, it's been, like, an hour. Who have you been helping? There's no one here."

Dale made a face. "That's not possible, he's right behind....me." Dale turned around, her voice falling.

Luke, the boy in the dapper clothing with eyes of sapphire, was gone. Instead, a hazy cloaked figure stood in his place, dusting himself off. An aura of light surrounded him, and his eyes shimmered silver.

"Thank you for your help, Dale," The figure said in Dale's head. It was like this figure was a memory. "I'm sure Luke appreciates it, but that boy will be dealt with for his insufferable behavior."

"Aether..." Dale mumbled. "What have you done with him?"

Aether smiled. "I'll see you lot again soon. I'm afraid it isn't time to show you the light. But remember...you can't tell a soul what you've seen. That is, if you want them to live."

Aether disappeared in a flash of light and Dale turned back around to see Mark staring at her in concern.

"Dale, are you feeling all right? There's no one there. Who were you talking to?" Mark asked.

And yet Dale couldn't bring herself to speak. If Mark couldn't see Luke, couldn't see Aether, then what had just happened? Had the Masks even attacked? Dale glanced back over her shoulder, sure to see either figure standing there once more, but there was nothing except the shadows of the darkening forest stretching across the ground.

~~

Dale went day in and day out for the next few days, unsure of what to make of the encounter in the woods. Had she imagined it all? Was it all a trick of the light? Nothing could tear her from her confusion. The war council meeting to decide what course of action to take next, the activities she led with Mark, all of it was a sea of monotony that Dale wasn't sure how to navigate.

Luke...he'd seemed so real. He'd had a presence, that was sure, because Dale had located him with her powers. He'd begged for her help, and she'd granted it, only for Aether to take him away. But she hadn't sensed Aether, or anyone else in the woods for that matter. It was only her, Mark, and Luke. And apparently one of those three hadn't been there at all.

Once upon a time ago, Tessa had been visited by Phobos, the god of fear, disguised as a shroud of darkness. No one else had been able to see him, not until Tessa figured out who it was. Dale and Mark had been worried about Tessa's mental health, wondering why she was so on edge, but now, Dale knew. To see things no one else could see, to have the same tormenting dreams, and to have everyone else think you're crazy was a struggle all on its own.

The only solace Dale could seem to find was in the eye of the storm that was her nightmares, in the coaxing ball of light leading her through battlefields, chaos, and madness like a beacon of saving grace.